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American Students Abroad Told to Pretend to be Canadians
by Steve Giegerich

As anti-war sentiment rises in other countries, U.S. colleges are warning their students studying abroad to avoid demonstrations, street corner debates on U.S. foreign policy and clothes that identify them as Americans.


But just to be on the safe side, some students are passing themselves off as Canadian.

In interviews over the past week, students and faculty overseas said the anti-American sentiment they've encountered has been directed at the Bush administration — not at U.S. citizens.

"As far as being an American in Italy, I don't in any way feel unsafe," said Christopher Bottoni, a junior at Pennsylvania's Villanova University who is studying in Milan.

Back home in New Jersey, Bottoni's father, Lou, is a bit more apprehensive. "Am I worried?" he said. "There's no question about it."

Like many parents with a child overseas, Bottoni stays in touch with his son via cellphone.

That technology, along with e-mail, helps to alleviate the fears of many parents with children overseas, said Carla Slawson, vice-president of the Chicago-based Institute for International Education of Students — a consortium that customizes foreign studies programs for over 125 top colleges and universities, including Villanova's.

Since the start of the war, the institute has received 43 calls from the parents of the 1,200 students it now has studying abroad. Slawson said the parents asked primarily about the institute's evacuation plans.

As war became imminent, Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts directed faculty representatives to severely restrict the activities of the school's 142 students studying in Europe and Australia.

Besides asking students to stay away from demonstrations, the restrictions include cutbacks on independent weekend travel, a curfew and instructions to keep in constant contact with family and friends by cellphone and e-mail. The U.S. State Department also has issued a general warning to all Americans abroad.

"I don't know if we can protect them, but we can make sure that everything is in place to the best of our ability to make sure they're safe and accounted for," said Natalie Mello, Worcester's director of global operations.

"But to be realistic, I can't be sure everybody is safe, even in Worcester."

While the rules enacted by the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University weren't quite as strict, the combined Minnesota schools did suggest another tactic to avoid becoming the target of anti-American rhetoric — one favoured for decades by U.S. students hoping to keep a low profile.

"We told them, if you're travelling or if you're out somewhere for the weekend, tell someone you're Canadian," said Stephen Burmeister-May, the director of international education.

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Originally posted by Franc28

Most americans are such a xenophobic, unsavory bunch. Their country was born of war and that's all they can think about.

Tsh.

And after that they wonder why no one likes them.

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Originally posted by Franc28

Helllllooooooo ? I said MOST Americans.

I can add "illiterate" to the list, it seems.

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Originally posted by Franc28
There are more "black" criminals than "white", but I wouldn't say "most blacks" are violent criminals.
Not sure what skin colour has to do with anything, though. It always makes me cringe when I see this kind of rationalization.

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